Bits of Feedback plus Some Curious Questions

Just came back from a free and easy trip to Seoul, my first there. Some tips in case it is helpful to anyone.

1. ChongDong theatre shows. Tickets sales start at 7 pm. The cheaper tickets are in front, unlike some shows elsewhere. The reason will be apparent soon enough when the cymbals, drums and gongs start - they can be very very loud.

2. DMZ and Panmunjom is worth a day trip. But the tour agency needs to have your particulars the day before. Apparently, some nationalities might not be given permission to go.

3. At the DMZ, they are very particular over where you can take pictures, understandably for security reasons. If your tour guide forgot to tell you where and when it is allowed and you took forbidden pictures, just delete the shots in the presence of the guards and apologise. One fellow tripper didn%26#39;t know he can simply do this and get into some hassles.

4. My map showing Korea House and the traditional Korean village was confusing and made me went round in circles. You could miss Korean village because Korea House is more visible, being nearer to the junction. Also, the signs seems to be meant for vehicle traffic. Then just turn back from Korea House and go into the next road on your left.

5. I stayed at MyeongDong and found it to be very central and convenient (being downtown). If I go again, I won%26#39;t stay at other locations.

6. Seoul must be holding the world record for roadside stalls! There are so many of all kinds of stalls from the usual kiosk to just a piece of paper on the floor, selling an unimaginable variety of stuff. But I didn%26#39;t have the guts to try the tempting and nice-smelling foodstuff due to a weak stomach. Very sad.

Now my curious questions:

1. The DMZ guide said that, to tell whether a Korean girl is married, just look at her hair. If it is straight, she is not married. If it is permed and curly, she is. But she also said that for a man, if he is bald, he is married because the wife pulled them all off! She must be kidding about the man part. Is she serious about the ladies? I seem to see ladies with straight hair pushing pram with a baby in it!

2. Everyone tried to speak to me in Korean but I know not a single word. All I hear is lots of phrases ending in ';me-da';, even in some lift floor announcements. Is this some kind of polite ending of a sentence?

Thanks in advance for your reading of my posting.

Bits of Feedback plus Some Curious Questions

Seems you enjoyed your trip to Korea.

Regarding your two questions,

1. Married women do have their hair permed more than unmarried one but it is not always true. However, for people over 40s, I think I can say almost all married women have permed hair. Long straight hair is somewhat a sign for young ladies but it%26#39;s not a rule.

2. Korean language have different order of words in a sentence, and verb comes at the last part of the sentence. and, You are right, verbs ending with ';me-da';, ';ne-da'; is more polite words.

Bits of Feedback plus Some Curious Questions

Questions:

1. Kidding about both

2. ';ida'; is the very polite statement ending; questions have the politest ending of ';ikka';.

hi, happywanderer123,

u join a local tour to DMZ and panmunjom? u book from your hotel?

thanks n regards

Since I stayed in MyeongDong, it is very near to Lotte Hotel (where the airport limosine bus dropped me off). The travel agent is at either 6th or 7th floor or something. You can look at the Lotte Hotel directory in the main lobby. You need to go and show them your passport at least one day in advance. The prices also slightly different among the various agents.

tk, happy wanderer123

The curly/straight isn%26#39;t always a 100% indicator of whether the lady is married or single, but they call the permed hair on a lady ';the adjumma perm'; for what it%26#39;s worth.

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